Being Solution-Oriented programmer: 5 Behaviors That Earn Trust

Dalibor Jovic Author

What “solution-oriented” really means at work, translated into five concrete behaviors

I've read so many CV's stating “solution-oriented”, but when I ask “What does that actually look like?” I rarely get an answer. I believe it’s not about ignoring problems or being annoyingly optimistic. It’s five simple behaviors that signal presence, ownership, judgment, and momentum.

Why this matters: When you practice these behaviors, people start to look up to you. Doors open on their own. You become the person others trust with real problems - not because you have every answer, but because you move things forward.

1. Speak when the room is silent

Why it matters: Silence is where careers go to stall. Martin Luther King Jr. put it perfectly: “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” Speaking up signals presence and earns trust.

Example: A meeting where boss asks for feedback on say more in-person time at the office, and everyone studies their shoelaces. You offer something simple and constructive: “I can create an excel document where people can put their ideas.” Suddenly the room has a direction, and you’re the person who gave it one. Yet you didn’t do anything really, but you moved the needle.

Try this:

• If you think “someone should say something,” be the someone.
• Lead with a respectful truth: “Here’s what I’m seeing, and one idea to test it...”
• Keep it short and specific. When you speak, make it count.

2. Own problems (within boundaries)

Why it matters: We’re not hired just to write code and push PRs. We’re hired to make our boss’s job easier - sometimes because they don’t have the time, sometimes the skills. 

Quick example: A teammate asks, “Who can fix this?” The room goes quiet because, it is actually “not your job.” If you’re a parent, you know that everything becomes your job. Step up and just do it (but set guardrails). Something like “I can make a prototype by Friday. But if X happens, I’ll escalate it.” This will get you to the edge of your comfort zone, which is where we grow.

Try this:

• Volunteer with boundaries: “I can own phase one. I’ll need A/B, and if we hit C, I’ll flag it.”
• Say your limits out loud so expectations are clear.
• This is also a good test, if your courage and honesty is not respected - maybe consider changing teams or jobs.

3. Your boss is not your father

Why it matters: Good leaders often ask, “What do you think?” because you’re closest to the work. Help them help you. The real job is balancing cost, quality, and complexity - and offering options - so that decisions are easy. This is the job for your boss , to make a decision, not to solve it for you.

Quick example: Imagine you get five minutes with your boss. Don’t just bring questions. Bring answers. Like three options with a recommendation:

• Option A: fastest, lowest quality, low cost.
• Option B: balanced, sensible defaults.
• Option C: premium, highest quality, highest cost. You then recommend B and list one risk. Even if your take isn’t perfect, you’ve thought about it.

Try this:

• Use this script: “I see three approaches—A (fast), B (balanced), C (premium). I recommend B because [trade-off].”
• Prepare both questions and draft answers for short check-ins.
• Worried about embarrassment? You’ll embarrass yourself more by never trying.

4. Listen for the real problem

Why it matters: I used to think being “solution-oriented” meant ignoring problems and only talking solutions. Wrong. You can’t solve what you don’t understand. Stephen R. Covey said: “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.”

Quick example: Someone asks you: “Can we add cookies to track people so they can continue where they left off?” If you rush into code with solution, you’ll overbuild it. But if you listen for the problem “Users need to resume work” - you might solve it without cookies, or even without code. Maybe you already have session IDs in the database, so just send users a link that restores their state. Seniors prefer solutions with little to no code when possible.

Try this:

• Ask, “What outcome do we want? What constraint matters most? What happens if we do nothing?”
• Separate the request (what they say) from the problem (what they need).
• Start small solutions first.

5. Go around the "dead end"

Why it matters: Sometimes you hit a hard block - login provider is down, and you can’t even get into the app. Dead end? Not quite. Michael Jordan said: “Obstacles don’t have to stop you… Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it.”

Quick example: You bypass login locally with a feature flag or a temporary token so you can keep developing. Or you pivot: write unit tests, tackle a different task, document a tricky edge case, or spend an hour learning something that will pay off this sprint. There’s always a next move.

Try this:

• List three alternatives the moment you’re blocked:
  1. a safe workaround,
  2. a paralel task,
  3. a short, focused learning block.
• Communicate the block and your plan so momentum stays visible.

A final word

I hope these five behaviors help you turn “solution-oriented” from a CV buzzword into your daily operating system:

• Speak when the room is silent.
• Own problems (within sane boundaries).
• Bring options and a recommendation.
• Listen until you understand the real problem.
• Keep moving, even at dead ends.

Practice them and watch how people start to look up to you—and how many doors open by themselves. 

You can watch video version of this article here:

Categories: : Career & growth